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-RBA *Minnesota *Duluth/North Shore *September 5, 1996 *MNDU9609.05 -Birds mentioned
Hotline: Minnesota Duluth/North Shore
Date: September 5, 1996
Sponsor: Minnesota Ornithologists' Union (MOU)
Reports: (218) 525-5952
Compiler: Kim Eckert
Transcriber: Sr. Pam Kern pkern@css1.css.edu
This is the Duluth birding report for Thursday, September 5, sponsored by the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
Two, or possibly three unidentified JAEGERS were seen from the Park Point Recreation Area by Bill Litkey of the Twin Cities on September 1. These JAEGERS were too far out over Lake Superior to positively identify, although Bill had the impression that two different sizes of species were present. He also saw a RED-NECKED GREBE the same day at the Point. On the following day a BLACK TERN flew by at the Park Point Recreational Area and a fair variety of SHOREBIRDS were also there.
There were still some SHOREBIRDS at the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier Area mudflats earlier this week, although there haven't been nearly as many there as there were two weekends ago.
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are still being reported at various locations in and around Duluth, as they have been since June. Most interesting of these sightings comes from the Melrude area north of Duluth where Ben Yokel has been seeing family groups in his yard, including what appear to be recently fledged young.
With warmer than normal temperatures prevailing during the past several days, along with generally light or southerly winds, the weather has not been especially conducive to much migration. However, despite this uncooperative weather, both hawks and passerines alike have been on the move at a steady pace. At the Lakewood pumping station, 1,044 migrants including an early PALM WARBLER were counted September 2 during our standard two-hour census period starting at dawn. And yesterday morning, the count was 3,660 migrants including 270, or rather 2,700 CEDAR WAXWINGS, a BOBOLINK, and a surprising 12 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS.
As far as the Raptor migration, at the Hawk Ridge main overlook, as of 3:00 p.m. today, over 40 OSPREYS have been seen with 51 the all time one day record at Hawk Ridge. Two GOSHAWKS were also seen at the Ridge today, one PEREGRINE was seen there September 1 and two were counted on September 3.
And during the month of August, the total at the main overlook was an above average 1,476 raptors. And these included the following: 26 TURKEY VULTURES, 30 OSPREYS, 7 BALD EAGLES, 44 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 943 SHARP- SHINNEDS, 16 COOPER'S HAWKS, 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 209 BROAD-WINGEDS, 45 RED-TAILEDS, 144 AMERICAN KESTRELS, and 11 MERLINS.
If the weather forecast is accurate, it looks like this weekend should be good for hawk migration, as a cold front is due to arrive on Saturday. But Sunday might be the better of the two days as there is also rain in the forecast for Saturday as the front arrives.
Don't forget all the activities scheduled for our annual Hawk Weekend, September 13, 14, and 15, with evening programs at UMD's Bohannan Hall Room 90 on both Friday and Saturday starting at 8:00 p.m., with refreshments and registration starting at 7:00 p.m. Birding field trips meeting at 7:00 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday at the 40th Avenue West Erie Pier area, at the Point Park Recreation Area, and at the Lester River Visitors Information booth. And on Hawk Ridge itself on both Saturday and Sunday, there will be displays from both the Raptor Center of St. Paul and an optics display from the National Camera Exchange in Golden Valley, various nature hikes and of course hawk watching throughout the day. Again for further information on any of this, please feel free to give me a call at 525-6930.
Unless something unusual is seen in the meantime, the next scheduled update of this tape will be on Thursday, September 12, and as usual, if you have birds to report you can leave a message after the tone. BEEP